The Ultimate Mystery
by Kamen Rider Dimension
Summary: Despite her title, Mahiru was one of the most normal people you could ever meet. When she comes across one of the strangest however, she'll find herself learning a lot more than she intended at this academy, and the project that threatens the world's greatest... Mahiru, what do those eyes see through the lens?
1. Hello Hope

**Next in my re-imagination project, my Danganronpa stories. I've recently gotten back into Danganronpa and I always preferred Danganronpa 2 over the others, though V3's executions are amazing in their own right. This isn't an original idea, I'm fully aware of that, I just like the possibilities that are opened up by it. Plus, Hajime/Mahiru is nice. Anyway, let's go!**

_Super hero time!_

_Hajime: A Super High School Level Librarian? Sounds kind of underwhelming..._

_Takumi: I'm sorry, what's your talent then?_

_Hajime: That is..._

_Takumi: who even decided the title should be Super Hgih School Level anyway?_

_H + T: Never lose hope! The story begins!_

* * *

Hajime Hinata looked up at the Academy with a cold determination.

Ever since he had learned about the academy, there had been no other goal in his mind. After all, when the schools you attended mattered more than the actual course or your results, the building stood before the brunette was the pinnacle of educational success. There wasn't any other school that would do in his mind.

Despite himself, Hajime couldn't help but feel a swelling pride in his heart as he approached the gates, a pride that could not be justified through words alone. Every step towards the academy felt like a dream slowly becoming reality, the hard work he had been forced to endure finally bearing fruit in what was possibly the grandest way possible.

"Hope's Peak Academy…" it wasn't just a school in Hajime's mind. Ever since his parents had first spoken to those strange men and learnt of how the brunette had even the smallest chance of getting in, it had been hammered into Hajime that anything less than Hope's Peak Academy was unacceptable. Just as kids who loved baseball dreamt of joining the major leagues, or kids who loved drama longed to belong to Broadway, Hope's Peak Academy was the ultimate goal for anyone who could claim themselves as even somewhat talented.

And he had been personally invited.

At first, it had seemed impossible. There was nothing special about Hajime when he was young, positive or negative, to the extent where you could only describe him as 'painfully average'. He didn't do excessively well at any task, nor did he utterly fail at anything. He was the epitome of a plain, ordinary person who would never rightfully take place in Hope's Peak Academy.

But then Hajime and his family had been visited by those strange people and offered a miracle. It had required an immense amount of pain and training, what felt like years enduring a regime of medical and physical torture at the hands of strangers. In the end however, it had taken a perfectly ignorable and ordinary boy and turned him into what they called 'the pinnacle of his kind.'

The letter had come soon after, his name prominent at the top along with the emblem of Hope's Peak Academy. As soon as it had arrived, Hajime had finally been given the chance to relax and, though with quite a number of strict restrictions, his family had been able to spend a day out in a wonderful amusement park. It was one of only few times Hajime could recall where his parents had truly been proud of him – he couldn't afford to waste the chance they had given him.

"Ah!" the small cry by his side had Hajime divert his attention to the body that had just rammed into him, his hand rapidly darting out around the girl's waist before she could fall to far. Pulling her back on her feet, Hajime tried to his best to give what he thought was a reassuring smile.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"I-I-I'm sorry! Please don't hate me!"

Um… maybe it wasn't as reassuring as the brunette hoped.

The girl reeled back as soon as she could, giving Hajime a proper look at who he had just helped. Her hair, chopped up to a mishmash of different lengths, had been left an absolute mess by her sudden movements and from the various bandages wrapped around her limbs, it wasn't exactly a wild guess to assume that her display of clumsiness wasn't exactly uncommon. There was one thing in particular that Hajime noticed however, his eyes slightly widening.

"That's the main course uniform; are you new here too?" Hajime's question had the girl blinking in confusion, hesitantly opening up, if only the smallest bit. Did she really feel as if he was going to hurt her after stopping her from hurting herself? "My name is Hajime Hinata. I'm in class… 77-B if I remember right."

"M-My name is Mikan Tsumiki, Super High School Level Nurse. Um... From the bottom of my heart, I hope we can get along." The girl eventually returned with a deep bow, unable to meet Hajime's eyes. "I-I'm also a new student and we're in the same class. I'm s-sorry…"

"Sorry? What are you apologising for?" the boy said in return, receiving a questioning sound from Mikan. "I'm glad. It's nice to have the opportunity to know my classmates are nice people beforehand. I hope we can be friends then, Mikan."

At first, Hajime thought he had done something wrong. When the words escaped him, the Super High School Level Nurse' expression became unreadable for what felt like an endless period. The brunette was already preparing his apology when he was interrupted by a small sound, his confusion growing as Mikan started to giggle more and more.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry for laughing so suddenly! I-It's just...I can't help it. I'm just so happy, I can't remember the last time I made any friends... Ah, not that you actually want to be friends with me! I'm soooo sorry I said something so...presumptuous!" the girl suddenly cried out, grasping at her hair. Didn't Hajime already say that he wanted to be her friend? "I'll do anything you say... Just...please don't hate me...!"

Hajime gave a sigh. Maybe things wouldn't be as easy as he expected.

* * *

Mahiru didn't really consider herself much of a 'Super High School Level' student.

After all, it wasn't as if she was doing anything particularly special. All the redhead was doing was taking pictures of the scenes that she liked; it was all she had been doing ever since she first picked up a camera. Considering that her mother had also been a photographer, it was only natural that she too would know her way around a camera, it wasn't exactly noteworthy.

Yet the people disagreed, especially if the numerous awards that Mahiru had under her belt meant anything. Constant praise for her people-based photos was piled onto her and it was said that no matter the situation, she could take the perfect shot of someone when they were smiling. Even the most mundane of scenes became a masterpiece through her camera lens.

It had been enough to catch the eyes of a man called Koichi Kizakura, a whimsical figure bordering on lackadaisical who called himself a talent scout for Hope's Peak Academy.

Mahiru's first reaction to the man was to immediately dismiss him; the academy was home to some of the greatest student's in their art. Upon strict invitation only, they recruited the best of the best of the best in order to fill their halls, every single student residing within their dorms, a bonafide genius prodigy in their field. By simply being in the school, you could consider your future secured as the title given to you would mean that you beat all others in what you did. Surely their talent scout wouldn't be so… pathetic.

Yet Mahiru couldn't deny the letter the man had delivered to her, declaring that she had been formally invited to attend Hope's Peak Academy under the title of Super High School Level Photographer, the best in Japan, if not the world, with a camera. With the headmaster's signature upon it, there was no way it could be anything but the true deal.

Admittedly, even with that, Mahiru had been somewhat hesitant to agree. After all, compared to her mother's famous war photographer, Mahiru was still an amateur. How could she accept the title of the best when there were still people miles better than her?

In the end, it was only her mother's urgings that had Mahiru going, as well as the promise for some amazing photo opportunities and that was what led to her current situation, making her way towards the school. So long as she kept the smile her mother had when Mahiru told her about the invitation, she could almost ignore how the uniform attracted so many whispers from her peers.

It was only when she got to the actual gates of Hope's Peak Academy when she was able to breathe a sigh of relief; the closer she got to the academy, the more and more people wearing a similar uniform appeared on her route, the people who were being faced with the same pressure and expectations Mahiru had. It may not be much, but it at least made her feel less like an outlier.

If nothing else, then the cheerful expressions they all held on their first day of the term made for excellent pictures, just a couple of discrete images taken of the groups of girls that passed Mahiru by. So long as she was able to keep taking photos like this, then maybe she could just treat Hope's Peak like any other school.

A small scoff escaped the redhead as her camera's view fell upon a boy cradling a girl in his arm, most likely some sort of extremely cheesy flirting attempt. Seriously, it was only the first day of the school year and the boys already couldn't keep it in their pants. And here Mahiru thought they could actually be reliable in a place like Hope's Peak.

"Well, at least I'll still be able to visit Sato in the reserve course." Mahiru mused, packing away her camera as she approached the doors of the academy.

While it was a shame that no reserve course student could enter the main course building, there was nothing saying that the reverse wasn't allowed. Compared to some of the stories the Super High School Level Photographer had heard about the main course, it would make a nice period of normality between all of the talent-building.

Yeah, look at the positives and maybe things could be as peaceful as any other school.

* * *

Any hopes of having a relatively normal school life were completely destroyed the moment Mahiru stepped into the classroom.

It wasn't the classroom itself that was an issue. No, for such a prestigious academy, the classroom was rather Spartan in design and the simple desks were rather reminiscent of Mahiru's middle school. Considering the near extortionate tuition fees that Sato had been talking about for entry into the reserve course, Mahiru was really expecting something a little more elaborate.

No, it was the fact that despite being told that her class would consist of seventeen students, there were only a grand total of six present, including herself, with the teacher nowhere to be found.

A quick glance at her wristwatch showed Mahiru that she had arrived pretty much exactly when she needed to, so it wasn't as if she was obscenely early or something. The only thing she could do was take one of the desks and sit down, glancing around her, phone hidden beneath the table.

Along with the invitation letter, each student of the main course was allowed access to information about their peers, meaning that it didn't take long for Mahiru to put names to faces.

Mikan immediately flinched as soon as the redhead tried to make eye contact, the friendly smile Mahiru was trying to share fading into an awkward chuckle. From her profile, she had made herself known through the various selfless assistance she gave to anyone injured and had successfully dealt with even near-death patients that some of the best doctors in the world would be hard pressed to save.

Considering the amount of bandages upon her person though, maybe she needed to help herself a little too much…

"Eh? It's a… completely boring girl! What, can't draw your eyes away from the ugly pig?" spoke a harsh voice beside Mahiru, followed by a series of childish giggles at the way that Mikan immediately sank into her seat with a pathetic noise. "Wow, listen to the pig squeal! It's disgusting, right?"

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Hiyoko, isn't it? Do you really want to be so harsh to your classmates?" Mahiru muttered, looking to the completely unrepentant ponytailed blonde whose only response was to continue laughing at Mikan. "Mikan hasn't done anything to you, has she?"

One only had to take one look at her appearance to understand her talent; unlike the relatively plain brown uniform set as standard for main course students, the incredibly intricate floral kimono Hiyoko wore practically yelled Japan. For the Super High School Level Traditional Dancer, it was essentially the same as a uniform.

"Hmph. It's not my fault she's so easy to break." Came the unrepentant reply, a cruel grin upon Hiyoko's face. Well, that was a lost cause for now. Maybe once they had a couple of lessons together, Mahiru could start to break away at her.

"I am of the same mind as our new classmate! We have come to this esteemed establishment in order to make friends, have we not?" the blonde sitting at the front of the class declared, fire burning in her eyes as she leant against the backrest of her seat. "Being rude to one another would only counteract such an aim! Ah, I have not introduced myself. I am Sonia Nevermind of Noveselic, the Super High School Level Princess! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"P-Princess?" how do you even judge that sort of thing? Was there some sort of secret princess competition that the world was unaware about? Mahiru hadn't even heard of Noveselic; weren't all of the Super High School Level students meant to be selected from Japan? "A-ah, I'm Mahiru Koizumi. I'm just a photographer…"

"Oi, you lot. Can't you dumbasses just shut it for a moment?" groaned one of the boys in the room as he slouched back in his chair and kicked his legs up on the desk. "Damn shitty school. If it weren't for the rep, I'd be out of here in a second."

As soon as Mahiru's eyes flashed down to the profiles, they immediately flared up – thank goodness Fuyuhiko kuzuryu was too busy trying to take a nap to see her reaction.

How the hell did they let a literal member of the yakuza into the academy? That was basically asking for trouble! It wasn't as if it was just a small time member either – they were openly advertising Fuyuhiko as the heir to the Kuzuryu clan, one of the largest in the entirety of the country. What was Hope's Peak going to do if someone annoyed him enough and then magically 'disappeared?'

It took all of Mahiru's strength to keep her head from hitting the desk. It was like the school was a paradox – the redhead stood out from her classmates because she was one of the only normal people in the room. Thank goodness Mikan hadn't shown off anything weird, or else Mahiru could see herself going insane.

"Don't act all high and mighty just cuz daddy's a mean man. You call yourself a yakuza, but a baby like you couldn't scare a butterfly."Hiyoko scoffed, almost falling out of her seat when her vision was filled by the angry yakuza heir.

"And where the fuck do you think you get off, calling me that? Have you looked in the goddamn mirror lately!?"

"My looks are adored all across the country! That's how you managed to get so big, isn't it? Nobody's shot you because you look so much like a baby! I'm right, aren't I?"

"That's it, you're dead meat!"

"You two, stop it right now!" Mahiru interjected, standing up from her desk with hands slammed down against the wood. "We're in high school, not primary school, act like it! The teacher not being here doesn't give you an excuse to mess about like children!"

"Oi, do you know who I am? I ain't joking when I say she's dead meat." Fuyuhiko growled, drawing his arm back when Mahiru inserted herself between the pair. For goodness sakes, if the teacher wasn't going to be around to keep everyone in line, then it fell down to her – someone had to be responsible.

"And do you think your family are going to be able to get away with that sort of thing, when the school's literally advertising that you're here?" Mahiru countered with a raised eyebrow, her hands immediately moving to her hips. This is why she preferred girls to boys, they were always so violent without a good reason. "If anything happens, you know the blame is immediately going on you. Would you really want that kind of heat?"

A scoff escaped Fuyuhiko; as much as he would want to, he couldn't argue with that kind of logic. It wasn't as if his parents couldn't handle the heat if it came about, they weren't one of the largest yakuza groups in the country for nothing. The Super High School Level Yakuza just knew that his dad wouldn't get off his ass about it.

"Don't act like you're not in the wrong either." The other boy in the class interrupted, Hajime standing up behind Hiyoko as soon as he heard the girl's starting snickers. A gentle tap on the head had those replaced by no doubt greatly exaggerated tears, Hajime giving a small sigh. "Hey, don't cry. We're in high school now and nobody's going to respect you if you act like a child."

Hmm, it was the boy who had been flirting with the girl at the front of Hope's Peak – now that she got to see them up close, it was most likely with Mikan. Well, either way, Hajime had stepped up a level in the redhead's eyes. So long as he kept up as he was now, maybe he could make her forget the weird flirting thing.

His profile was one of the smallest out of the seventeen and there was barely anything of note to read from it. No matter how much Mahiru searched, there was nothing that she could find in regards to any major achievements and there weren't any famous backers to give him the rep needed to enter Hope's Peak. How could someone deemed a Super High School Level Student have such a lacking profile?

"Hajime Hinata, am I right?" Sonia spoke up, the princess delicately holding her fingers together in the utter image of pure grace and elegance. "My apologies, but while I am aware of everyone else, there is woefully little information to be found on you. Could you perhaps share what your talent is?"

"I-information? There's open information about us?" Hajime questioned.

Mahiru had to roll her eyes at that. The boy was basically flip-flopping between being responsible and being the exact opposite. Grabbing the phone the Hajime brought out, she quickly made her way to the proper website, bringing up Hajime's profile, or lack thereof, and showing it to the brunette. It elicited the sound of realisation, followed by Hajime scratching his chin.

"Ah, well it's not as if I've really done anything. I was lucky enough to meet one of the scouts when I was young and he was there for most of my life, I guess." Hajime admitted with an awkward chuckle. "He must've seen something in me or something like that. My talent is kind of hard to explain, but it's-"

It was at that moment when a man in a white suit decided to suddenly turn up, completely unrepentant for how late he was as he strolled into the classroom. Mahiru, for all that she wasn't one for foul language, had to bite back a curse. Hajime had shut up as soon as he saw the man step in.

"Sorry about being late. You know, business and all that stuff. Name's Kizakura, homeroom teacher." The man in the white suit declared with a low cough, Fuyuhiko immediately growling.

"Oi, what the hell? You drunk old man?" he said. Sure enough, one only needed to get into relatively close proximity before the heavy scent of alcohol assaulted your nose, Sonia immediately flinching back in her front row seat. "You have the nerve to rock up late drunk off your ass and you're not even gonna apologise?"

"Right, right, sorry. Didn't even expect anyone to be here honestly, not like the lessons are mandatory or anything." Kizakura waved off, a grin on his face at the pure annoyance on Fuyuhiko's face. "Anyway, I'm here now aren't I? We've got a small bit of homeroom left this period, so it's not like I wasn't here at all."

It was a weak excuse, one which made Mahiru barely restrain herself from palming her face, with Fuyuhiko showing open aggression against Kizakura. The massive argument that quickly broke out, Sonia and Hajime trying their best to keep the peace, caused a single thought to flash through Mahiru's mind.

"Why did I ever come to this school?"

* * *

If the homeroom period had been rather awkward, then the only way to describe the actual lessons was 'half-hearted' to say the least. Their teachers obviously cared little about teaching, barely going through the necessary motions in order to receive their pay cheques; despite Hope's Peak calling themselves an academy, the educational aspect of the school was almost superfluous. Every student present was already destined to become great, so why did they have to care about the quality of their non-talent based education?

Hajime was pretty sure that Hiyoko and Fuyuhiko weren't even listening to the droning maths lecture; he himself was barely managing to keep himself awake and after some of the teachers he had been gracious enough to meet during his younger years, that was really saying something.

It wasn't even as if the work was that difficult. Hajime could probably answer the entire sheet with his eyes shut – he was already halfway through the questions in fact – and yet their teacher had deemed it important enough to carefully and meticulously pick apart every single detail about the process. Well, maybe that was Hajime giving him a little too much faith; most likely he was just reading from the book and didn't really care about the details he was giving out.

The bell sounding for break caused the teacher to let out an audible sigh, immediately packing away and getting away from the borderline unnecessary work as fast as humanely possible, leaving only the students to mingle among themselves.

Not that they started off very well, with Fuyuhiko immediately leaving the classroom with a low grunt. At least the others all stayed, Sonia immediately moving towards Hajime with a speed that could've knocked him out of his chair. Fortunately, Mahiru being relatively closer meant she didn't have to move at such a breakneck pace… not that Sonia had to either considering the size of the classroom.

"Well then, now that there are no distractions, you can tell us what your talent is, right?" the Super High School Level Princess urged, a bright smile upon her face as she leant forward.

"Let me think of the best way to put this…" Hajime replied, a hand to his chin as his eyes fell closed for a brief moment. "You lot are the Super High School Level Photographer, Traditional Dancer, Nurse and Princess, right? Then I suppose you could say… I too am a Super High School Level Photographer, traditional Dancer, Nurse and Pri-Ruler."

If one were to take Hajime's words by themselves, it would sound boastful, arrogant. After all, what he was declaring was hardly something that could be accepted easily. Yet there was no undertone of arrogance to his words at all – they were stated as a simple fact, or at least, Hajime believed it to be a fact.

"That has to be impossible, surely? To claim so many talents as your own, that would take several lifetimes to master." Sonia immediately rebutted. Even the ever happy princess, as all accepting and optimistic as she was, found it difficult to place trust in her fellow student's words. It simply was an unachievable feat. "Unless you could prove yourself?"

"Seriously? You think this boring guy could dance as well as I could?" Hiyoko immediately rejected, a dark expression coming over her face. "I say we just ignore him. He's clearly talking out of his butt and probably has some lame ass talent he's too scared to admit."

"I don't think it should be put so harshly, but Hiyoko has a point." Mahiru added with a finger to her cheek. "I mean, I could see traditional dancing, medicine and photography as talents multiple people could hold, but a yakuza and princes- ruler? That seems kind of a stretch."

What they didn't expect was the sudden darkness that came over Hajime, his face lowering as an indescribable aura filled the air. For barely even a second, the girls felt their throats constrict unwillingly, the very air choking them as Hajime rose.

For the briefest of moments, they thought his eyes had turned blood crimson.

"Let me prove it. Any one of your talents, I can match it and excel." Hajime declared, his voice going frosty with determination before the choking aura disappeared, Hajime's face immediately switching from cold to concerned. "H-hey, are you lot okay? You seem kind of scared."

"I-I'm sorry!" that was quite the understatement, for Hajime's declaration was enough to send the Mikan flying backwards in fear, conveniently falling in a rather… bizarre manner completely inappropriate of a school girl. "I-I'm sorry for doubting you!"

"If you desire, I could provide some music?" Sonia mused with a hint of uncertainty, the blonde playing with the bottom of her hair in concern. "I do not doubt that we could attain an area where you could appropriately demonstrate skill in dancing."

"That would be great." Hajime breathed in relief, standing to help Mikan back on to her feet. "I just need to return to my dorm before. These profiles have our numbers, so just call me when you find somewhere."

A bright blush appeared on the nurse's face at the assistance, immediately flinching back into her seat the moment she could. Hajime tried his best to hide the hurt from his face when she did that. Had he really compromised their budding friendship so easily?

Still, Hajime had been told to expect this kind of reaction, disbelief, to his training and talent, he couldn't be too disappointed with the girls. Admittedly, they had also told him to tone down his reactions to people unknowingly demeaning the training and pressure he had been put through in order to attain such talent, yet a dark feeling always tried to crawl up his chest whenever such a thing occurred.

Regardless, he had been given a chance to prove himself. After this, the way that the people of Hope's Peak Academy looked at him would never be the same again. There was no one in the world who could achieve what Hajime could – that was something the trainers had told him ever since they first arrived. If he had to dance to make them believe him, he would dance, like never before.

"He really is a freaky guy." Hiyoko huffed once Hajime closed the door shut beside him, seating herself before her desk and lowering her head onto it. "We're not actually going through with this right? We don't have to listen to that weirdo?"

"The way he spoke, he at least believes himself that he could do everything we can and when the offer was made, he accepted it without question." Mahiru countered with hands on her hips. If he was lying, there would've been some sign of hesitation, right? Or maybe he really was just delusional. "Although, the way he reacted just then… I felt like there's something about him that isn't natural."

"H-he didn't seem injured… I couldn't see anything and he looks r-really healthy… I would have to do some personal investigation." Mikan said. "It's more like, um, he was trying to stop himself and move at the same time…"

Well, whether there was something unnatural about Hajime or not, Mahiru's curiosity had been piqued. It was clear that there was a mystery to be solved here and seeing as the only alternative was a drunken homeroom and teachers who couldn't care less, they might as well take advantage of the optional attendance.

Someone who had all of the talents they did… did Hajime have even more? It shouldn't be possible; to even be the same level as one of them was an improbability. But if he really did and could match any of the other Super High School Level Students in the academy, then…

Didn't that undermine the existence of Hope's Peak Academy itself?

* * *

The Super High School Level Princess quickly demonstrated how much sway such a title held; with nought but a few requests and smiles at the front desk and their group immediately managed to receive permission to make use of one of the music rooms.

To be honest, 'music room' didn't do the area justice. It was an absolute heaven for anyone of even the slightest musical inclination, a huge plethora of different instruments dotting the area.

Sonia let out a small gasp as she saw one particular group of instruments sat to the side, her eyes glowing as she gently began running her finger along the strings of one of them. Gently plucking the koto's strings, the Princess simply couldn't restrain her excitement.

"So these are all traditional Japanese instruments! I've never imagined I would ever get the chance to handle one in person!" Sonia near whispered, a bead of sweat running down the other girls' faces. So that was what happened when you mixed the isolated lifestyle of a princess with the unbridled curiosity of a foreigner in a completely different environment. "While I was honoured to have some of Noveselic's greatest musicians play at some events, the instruments they used looked completely different to these fine specimens!"

"Ah, ah, Ibuki sees an audience!" a chirpy voice turned their attention to the stage before a sudden deafening roar filled their ears, courtesy of an absolute monster of an electric guitar. Quite how such a dangerous instrument, complete with a flamethrower attached to the end that burst into life with the deadly chord, managed to get approved by the school was a question best left unanswered.

The one wielding the guitar was just as wild as the instrument, her entire being a complete mockery of the school's uniform requirements. While her black skirt and white shirt of the main course uniform remained alongside a pink tie, the skeletal stockings, twisted horns, piercings and streaks of blue and pink in a crazy mess of hair were the definition of 'punk rebel'.

Considering that Ibuki Mioda's official designation was the Super High School Level Light Music Club Member, her image couldn't be further than what any of them expected.

"Are you here to listen to Ibuki rock?" Ibuki excitedly asked as she leapt from the stage in a surprising demonstration of athletic ability, landing directly before the gathered girls without even a hint of struggle. "There's no stopping my excitement! Because I'm having way too much fun! Let Ibuki share that excitement with you!"

"Actually, we were planning to do something, but if you're using this room, then I'm sure we can find somewhere else." Mahiru explained, jumping back slightly when Ibuki decided to leap directly into her face with the energy of a hyperactive child. With the amount of energy she had, it made sense why the Super High School Level Light Music Club Member would choose to play rather than be stuck in a seat reading.

"Ooh, if you're doing something fun, then I definitely want in! Ibuki's great with fun things!" she excitedly declared, Mahiru having to literally push the girl away slightly just to get some breathing space. "So, whatcha doin'?"

"There's this weirdo called Hajime in our class. Says he can dance like me, and do everything the rest of us can as well. We called him out." Hiyoko muttered, a cute pout on her face. Apparently, the claim annoyed the youthful blonde girl more than Mahiru had expected. "Now we're just waiting for him to come and embarrass himself. Probably has two legs and just thinks he's the god of the dancing world."

"Um, m-maybe you shouldn't be so mean to Hajime." Mikan hesitantly put in, having finally gotten herself out of the pile of instruments and music sheets she had accidentally knocked over herself when she had jumped at Ibuki's music. "He was nice to me after all… I d-don't think he's a bad guy…"

"Shut up pig! I bet you just want to spread your legs for him!" Hiyoko immediately returned, a gasp escaping Mikan and Sonia at the incredibly crude accusation. "There's no way that the way you fall is natural! You're totally just trying to show off!"

"Hiyoko…!" Mahiru sighed when she saw the Super High School Level Traditional dancer merely fold her arms with a huff. While it may not be much control, it was nice to know that the photographer held some sway when it came to establishing control over Hiyoko's outbursts.

"Right, right! If you want music to dance to, then leave it Ibuki!" Ibuki cried out, almost ignorant of the last minute as she threw her hands up in excitement. "Ibuki may like the hardcore stuff more, but I didn't come to Hope's Peak for nothing! I can do anything!"

"That's good. Nice to see another classmate." The boyish voice at the door attracted their attention, not a single person present in the room able to draw their eyes away from the sight that met them. Hajime gave a small smile. "I may not listen to much music, but you wouldn't be considered a Super High School Level Student if you weren't great at what you do."

They barely acknowledged the second half of Hajime's statement, for they were too busy staring at the masterpiece he was wearing. A tasteful combination of white and a dark burgundy created an incredibly intricate floral design upon the kimono Hajime was wearing, looking as if in the small amount of time he had been gone, he had been outfitted by the grandest of tailors. Considering the school they were at, it wasn't an impossibility.

"This is a genuine Japanese Kimono, yes!?" Sonia was the first to speak as she jumped forward, openly gawking at Hajime's clothes to the boy's embarrassment. "The signature traditional garb of the country, an icon of the vast history of Japan! I truly am experiencing so much about this country and it's only the first day!"

Hiyoko merely kept her mouth shut. It _was_ one of the finest kimonos she had ever seen and compared to some of the ones she herself owned, Hiyoko found herself becoming a tiny bit jealous. Just a tiny bit. The fact he had fancy clothes didn't mean his face was any less boring. Besides, a dancer wasn't just defined by their clothes!

"Where do you even get something like this? You wouldn't happen to know the Super High School Level Tailor or something?" Mahiru remarked, a small smile of approval on her face. If he really was a good dancer, then the pictures she could take would be something special. Even if he wasn't, then the comedy photos would still be great for embarrassing Hajime in the future.

"Actually… I made it myself." Hajime admitted, to disbelief from all five girls. "I wanted to prove to you that I wasn't lying. I really made this myself."

"Whoa, that's absolutely crazy! Maybe you should help Ibuki make her costumes!" Ibuki quickly recovered with a bright cheer. "So, you want a nice jam to dance to, traditional style? Then Ibuki's your girl!"

"W-wait, Ibuki. You're really not going to question him?" Mahiru said, only to be ignored as her energetic classmate started to dance around the music hall picking up whatever instruments hit her fancy. Only about half were actually appropriate for producing music for a traditional dancer.

Hajime merely gave a smile.

"If dancing is what it takes to make you believe in my talent, then I shall _dance_."

* * *

**Okay, so that's one way to end a chapter. I don't think I can call this story overly serious compared to some of my other works, I just want to see what fun ****shenanigans**** one can get into when you have access to such a wide variety of abilities that are woefully eclectic. Please, tell me what you think and look forward to the next chapter!**

_Super hero time! See you next time!_


	2. Dance Dance Resolution

**Greetings folks. I'm really just using these first few chapters to introduce Hajime to his various classmates and demonstrate his personality a little bit. In this chapter, we meet one of the best girls in danganronpa - generally - so, shall we have a little fun with that? Anyway, let's go!**

_Super hero time!_

_Hajime: When the world has met its end, then we shall be born anew... how creepy._

_Gudako: No fair, i want to go to high school too!_

_Hajime: do you ever stop complaining?_

_Gudako: only when it stops working!_

_H + G: Never lose hope! A wildcard awakens!_

* * *

Ibuki's official title might've been the Super High School Level Light Music Club Member, which would suggest that she specialised in light pop, but the punkish girl truly was incredibly diverse in her ability. Despite her propensity for heavy metal, as she had so kindly displayed to their group as soon as they stepped in, it had only taken the time needed to gather the right instrument before she was playing a beautiful, calming traditional Japanese tune.

The gorgeous melody coming from the stage was a complete juxtaposition to both Ibuki's appearance and her personality, so much so that Mahiru couldn't help but immediately snap a picture of her. It would most likely be one of the few serene Ibuki images she would ever get to take considering her boisterous introduction.

That wasn't the most shocking thing about the scene before her though, the redhead struggling to draw her camera lens away from the shining beacon in the centre dressed in burgundy.

Hajime moved with an almost inhumane grace, handling the fan in his hands as if it were an extension of his own being. One would expect even the greatest to produce at least one tiny, almost unnoticeable flaw, yet the beauty of the dance he was performing for them was absolutely seamless. He looked completely different to the plain and average boy that he had been in the classroom, his eyes shut in concentration and his body replaced by an expert dancer.

It wasn't surprising that the girls lost track of time, only realising just how long they had been enjoying the performance before them when Sonia let out a polite gasp as she looked towards the clock. By the time that Hajime and Ibuki were winding up the show, they had managed to spend a good twenty five minutes simply admiring the boy before them.

Executing a clearly flawless finish, Hajime held his pose for a moment before letting his eyes flutter open, Mahiru finding herself slightly lost for breath as she caught the sight on camera. For a second, Mahiru could've sworn there was something unusual about those eyes, only for her to blink and find nothing save for the boy's brown orbs. A small blush came to her face as Mahiru quickly shook her head; there were bigger things to be concerned about and the redhead was finding herself staring at a boy's eyes.

"So… What do you think?" Hajime hesitantly asked, holding his arms out. "Does that prove to you that I'm not lying?"

"…Yes, I see no reason to disbelieve you after such a splendid display." Sonia remarked, Mikan nodding rapidly beside the princess. "I don't think I've ever been witness to such a beautiful display since I watched a recorded version of Hiyoko's performance! Even then, to witness it live is a completely different experience!"

"Hehe, Ibuki always rocks the stage, but you really made things way cooler!" the punkish musician declared with an incredibly kooky laugh. "None of Ibuki's back up dancers could ever keep the audience entranced like that, so Hajime has to be really great! But it means that the focus is not on Ibuki, which makes me feel so sad! Argh, I'm so conflicted!"

"I mean, it's not as if I could question your claim after a show like that." Mahiru sighed good-heartedly, folding her arms with a joking sigh. "It just makes me scared that you're going to come and challenge me to a photo shoot-off. If you take photos as well as you can dance, then I might end up losing my title."

The atmosphere was meant to be light after such a statement, but it clearly wasn't so for one particular girl. Mahiru let out a small yelp as the tiny blonde blur shot past her and through the door with a loud slam, the force causing the door to tremble on its hinges.

The emotion rolling off the young girl had been near palpable, a warped combination of negativity that sent a shiver down the redhead's spine. Hiyoko just passing Mikan was enough to send the Super High School Level Nurse flying back in fear with a yelp, Hajime leaping off the stage to assist her. It was fortunate that there didn't appear to be anything wrong with the girl other than shock and a gentle tumble, Hajime breathing a small sigh of relief.

"Ah, Ibuki should've seen this coming." The Super High School Level Light Music Club Member muttered, scratching at her chin with a lack of energy. "She's totally jealous, isn't she? Hajime can dance really good and even made his own clothes. Hiyoko doesn't look like she can make clothes and I haven't heard of Hajime the dancer at all; a nobody dances better and does more."

"Well, when it is put like that, it is clear why she would have such a foul reaction." Sonia remarked, the Princess looking to the door with a small amount of uncertainty. "Hiyoko has proven herself a very prideful person ever since Hajime announced himself. Proof of his talent must've been a harsh hit to that pride."

Hajime froze, his mind repeating the past few seconds on an endless loop. This was all his fault. If he hadn't have boasted about his talent and just kept quiet, he wouldn't have hurt Hiyoko. If he had just stayed quiet then he wouldn't have caused unnecessary pain for someone he was meat to become friends with. This was all his fault.

"…I have to go. I have to apologise to her. This is all my fault." Hajime muttered, starting to move towards the door until he felt a hand come down hard upon his shoulder, turning to the culprit with a slight sense of desperation in his face. "Mahiru, I have to make things right. Talent isn't meant to cause pain. It's meant to bring hope. I've hurt Hiyoko, I need to make things right."

"No. That's probably not for the best." Mahiru was quick to interrupt, the redhead's eyes softening as she saw the genuine concern and fear within the brunette's visage."No one thinks you were trying to hurt her, she's just not thinking rationally. It's better if I go, I might be able to get through to her. You should probably change back Hajime."

Hajime moved to say more, but the photographer had already stepped out of the room before a sound could escape. His fist tightening, all the boy could do was let his eyes fall. This was not what was meant to happen, not at all. Even if they had told him to expect scepticism and strange looks, there was never meant to be full on hatred. His talent was meant to bring hope and happiness to people, to…

"…This is all my fault…"

"H-Hajime, where are you going?" Mikan hesitantly asked when the brunette started to stride away, a grim determination appearing on his face as a thousand ideas flew through his mind. "W-we technically still have class! Shouldn't we be r-returning?"

"I need to make it up to her." Came the simple explanation, no room for arguing in Hajime's voice. "I'll apologise in my own way. Talent is meant to bring happiness, not sadness… it's meant to bring hope, not despair. I'll use the cause of her pain to bring Hiyoko happiness."

"T-then let me come too! I'll be there for you!" the nurse exclaimed before shrinking back in embarrassment, missing the small smile that blossomed on Hajime's lips. "I'm sorry, I spoke without thinking."

"…Come on Mikan. I'll need your help."

"R-right!"

* * *

"Hey, Hiyoko…? You in there…?" Mahiru gently whispered as she entered the girl's dorms. It was a wild guess in all honesty, but it was the only place that Mahiru could be certain that Hiyoko frequented. "Can we talk?"

It was at that moment that the Super High School Level Photographer was made acutely aware that she had no idea which dorm room belonged to Hiyoko. Having only just initially thrown her stuff in and taken what she needed for lessons that she wasn't even attending, there hadn't been any time to learn who belonged to which dorm room, meaning that she really was just praying for the best. One of them had to belong to Hiyoko, right?

Fortunately for Mahiru, the Super High School level traditional Dancer wasn't exactly of the best mind at that time and in her rush to seclude herself, had failed to lock her door. Drawn to the sound of aggressive fury mixed with gentle sobs, the redhead lingered outside of the door, her hand hesitating before she gave a gentle knock upon the wood.

Almost immediately, the sobs stopped as Hiyoko turned around, Mahiru trying her best to give a reassuring smile to the smaller girl. Not that it did any good, with Hiyoko immediately rushing over and slamming the door shut, or at least attempting to. Thankfully, Mahiru had managed to stick her foot between the door and the frame before she lost her chance completely…

"…Ah, that stings!"

…but before Mahiru could try and formulate a proper response, she had to give credit where credit was due. From the amount of pain that was now pulsing through Mahiru's foot, Hiyoko was remarkably strong. It was kind of hard to think properly through the sudden pain. How did people do that and not hurt themselves?

"Hehe…" if there was one thing that Mahiru could be somewhat thankful for after that little accident, it was that Hiyoko had at least gotten a small smile from Mahiru's pain, a small giggle escaping the blonde. Even if it came at the cost of Mahiru's foot, the incident meant that Hiyoko was not sulking alone; it was time to seize the opportunity while she still could.

"Hey, can we talk?" Mahiru asked before a wince came to her face and she leant more to the left, much to Hiyoko's open amusement. "…And do you think we could go inside to do it?"

"Tch, sure." Hiyoko muttered, letting the redhead hobble in and fall against the bed with a small sigh of relief, Hiyoko seating herself beside Mahiru.

For what felt like an hour, there was simply silence between them, Mahiru trying to find the best way to breach the subject. If she went about this wrong, then she could potentially rupture not only Hajime's chances of friendship with Hiyoko, but her own chances as well. Eventually, the redhead could only give a sigh; so long as she avoided poking Hiyoko's pride, they could probably avoid that scenario, right?

"I'm not going to start by asking if you're alright; you're clearly not." Mahiru eventually said, playing with the camera in her hands. It brought a huff to Hiyoko, the girl turning her head away with a pout. "It's better to talk to someone at times like this, right? You can tell me."

"…I hate him. He's an arrogant jerk who just happens to dance alright." Hiyoko eventually muttered, her face turning darker by the second. "I bet mummy and daddy bought him a really expensive kimono after he started begging and now he's trying to claim that it's his own! I hate guys like that, all bark and barely any bite!"

"I don't think he's trying to be arrogant though. He was actually trying to be kind of modest about it until we said we didn't believe him." Mahiru reasoned with a finger to her chin. "He can just do a lot of stuff; with enough time, there's nothing to say you couldn't take photos really well too, right?"

Hiyoko merely settled for a small growl as she folded her arms petulantly, words failing in the face of that kind of logic. Hiyoko's eyes had been scanning every single movement to the minutest detail, searching desperately for any sort of mistake she could latch onto and laugh about. Surely a guy who was boring looking and arrogant as Hajime would be making an absolute fool of himself?

So why was he so damn good!?

She had been pushed to her absolute limits in order to reach this stage. Torn away from the only person who really liked her, forced to endure countless pranks that threatened her life, pushed into a strict and overbearing regime; Hiyoko had been to hell and back in order to become the Super High School Level Traditional Dancer. For a guy like this to come out of nowhere, completely unknown to the world, and dance as well if not better than she did? It made Hiyoko seethe.

"Hmph."

"Don't you think you can give him at least some benefit of the doubt? He really was apologetic when he thought you were hurt." The redhead pushed on, shuffling slightly closer to the smaller girl. "He never wanted to hurt you like this Hiyoko."

"I'm not hurt!" Hiyoko cried out suddenly, jumping off from the bed with a ferocity that belonged more to a tiger than a girl as slim and frail as Hiyoko. "Shut up, I don't want to talk to you! Get out of my room! I don't know why I let you in!"

Finding herself forcibly being pushed towards the door, Mahiru's mind was racing. She only had a few crucial moments left to try and salvage the situation. It was only by the time she was almost out of the door when the inspiration hit her like a truck; why not play to her attitude rather than diminish it?

"I don't know why you let him hurt you like. It's not as if he's as good as you anyway." Mahiru muttered, releasing a silent sigh of relief when the force pushing her backwards suddenly faded. Looking to the conflicted Hiyoko before her, there was no backing out now, a silent apology to Hajime. "Didn't you hear Sonia back at the end of that performance? She said that the only thing better than Hajime's performance was yours and the only reason it was comparable was it was only a recording."

"She did…?" Hiyoko questioned, a smirk appearing on her face. "Heh, of course she did! Because I am better than that idiot!"

Mahiru felt a small bead of sweat falling down her face. It was a twist of the truth, a case of perjury meant to lead the listener astray from the facts, but it was a necessary evil. That little white lie alone had been enough to nearly completely sway Hiyoko's attitude in a single blow. Hopefully, Sonia would be easily persuaded to state as such if Hiyoko questioned and make life a whole lot easier.

"You've also got to remember, she's here as the Super High School Level Princess of all things, so you have a princess' words. Someone who's probably seen all sorts of really amazing and extravagant performances and she places your dancing skills highly." Mahiru pushed on, Hiyoko giving an emphatic nod. Geez, she really did have the attitude of a pampered child, didn't she? "Feeling better now?"

Of course she was! After all, Hiyoko was getting herself upset over nothing. The fact that someone else could dance alright didn't detract from her own skill; she was still way better than Hajime could ever hope to be. Sure, he may not have made as many mistakes as one would expect from someone who didn't specialise in classical dancing, but he would always be a step down from the _real deal._

"Yep! I was just worrying myself over nothing!" Hiyoko spoke, half to herself as she turned a bright smile to Mahiru. "I don't care about that guy, let him be a boasting idiot all he wants! I'm still number one! Thank you, big sis!"

"…Something tells me you just ignored everything I said before…" Mahiru muttered beneath her breath, shaking her head and replacing her uncertainty with a matching smile. "Anyway, we should be making our way back to class-"

Before the girl could finish her statement however, the sound of knocking at the door had Mahiru answering at Hiyoko's shrug, revealing both Hajime and Mikan waiting awkwardly behind. The Super High School Level Photographer didn't have to look behind her to know that Hiyoko's mood probably just plummeted, a stern frown appearing on Mahiru's face.

"I thought I told you I had this handled? I thought you were at least somewhat reliable, geez." The redhead sighed, Hajime giving an awkward chuckle in return as his arms shifted behind him.

"I wasn't _not_ going to apologise, was I?" the boy responded a little shakily, revealing the packaging that was hidden behind his back. "I just wanted to make sure Hiyoko got this. She doesn't have to talk to me, or even see me. I just had to apologise _somehow_. We'll leave now."

And almost as abruptly as he arrived, Hajime walked off down the corridor with his hands in his pockets, Mikan looking between him and Mahiru before giving a hurried bow and rushing off to follow him.

Looking down to the package he had left in her care, all Mahiru could do was shrug; it wasn't that heavy and from the feel of it, it wasn't something that could be delicate, so there wasn't anything wrong with throwing it over to Hiyoko.

Hiyoko's first reaction was to look at the package with a hint of distain and suspicion, yet her natural curiosity soon won out and she began tearing into the packaging like the child she looked like. Once she managed to reach the heart of the gift, both she and Mahiru were left gaping slightly.

Hiyoko delicately lifted the masterpiece of a furisode kimono, the flowing sleeves swinging elegantly as the classical dancer held it in the air. It was a beautiful orange number, carefully decorated with a white floral pattern and completed with a green obi to hold the whole thing together. Not a single stich was out of place and only the finest materials had been used in its creation, Hiyoko able to tell simply by feeling it. There were few in her large collection that could ever match the scale of this kimono.

And there, carefully sewn into the tag on the collar was her name, alongside a very simple message that had Hiyoko giving a huff.

'_An apology from Hajime.'_

* * *

"Hajime, Mikan, I hope you return successful?" Sonia happily greeted both Hajime and Mikan as they returned to the classroom, Hajime falling into his seat with a small sigh. "Ah. Not as well as one could have hoped then."

"I don't really know. I managed to get my gift to her thanks to Mahiru, but it didn't seem like she wanted to talk with me at all." Hajime sighed, rubbing the back of his head and sliding down in his seat. "Hopefully the gift was enough to make Hiyoko at least willing to talk to me…"

"Y-you worked so hard on it. It was amazing to watch." Mikan gently muttered, a look of subdued awe upon the purple haired girl as she held onto the back of her seat. "I'm sure Hiyoko will a-appreciate that. Maybe…"

"Indeed, we may only hope." Sonia said, looking to the door. "And then perhaps Mahiru and Hiyoko could join us once more. It would be a shame if they only attended a single lesson before ditching like our other intended classmates.

When they heard the door creak open, they expected to see one of the very boring teachers enter the room to begin their incredibly dreary lesson as they had all the other times. The students would ultimately try their best to stay interested, but only few would actually able to succeed, a special achievement considering how little actually attended in the first place.

It was why the Super High School level Students watched with intrigue as the strange suited men stepped into the classroom, scanning the various teens almost robotically. Why they wore sunglasses considering the sun had been rather acceptable, the students had no idea, but it certainly helped add to their intimidating nature.

Not that it scared Hajime in the slightest. Indeed, rather than cower or question, the brunette's form brightened from his slightly depressed state at the sight of the men, much to the confusion and consternation of his fellow students.

"Hajime Hinata. We have been sent to deliver a message to you." One of the men remarked, clearly their leader, as he stepped towards the brunette with a letter held delicately in his hands. Placing it down, the suited man reached into his pocket momentarily, messing about with… something before retracting his hand again. "Dr Cottam sends his regards."

"Tell him everything's going alright… kind of." Hajime answered back, picking up the letter and carefully beginning the process of opening it up. With their duties completed, the men quickly followed by leaving the classroom, barely a second passing before it was as if there had never been a person there.

"Might I ask what's in the letter?" the Super High School Level Princess asked as she peered over to Hajime's desk, Mikan trying her best to be as discrete as possible while trying to do the same. It was just a shame that Hajime was holding the paper close to himself, preventing any chance of anyone else seeing it.

As the Princess and heir to the Novoselic Kingdom, there were a few special traits that Sonia had cultivated during her life that she liked to think very few others could match. One of those was the ability to read the subtle movements of another's face to try and determine their mental and emotional situation and when she put that skill to the test with Hajime, the blonde was very surprised by what she managed to come across.

In what seemed like no time at all, Hajime's face flashed between several completely contradictory emotions. In a manner of seconds, Hajime's face had demonstrated delight, fear, disgust and happiness, his face even becoming unreadable before settling into a somewhat disarming smile. If one hadn't been able to acutely observe a person's expression like Sonia, it would be easy enough to believe he'd just read a simple pleasant letter and was happy about it.

"It's a letter from a friend and the people who helped me get into Hope's Peak. Dr Cottam was one of the few people who had faith that I could actually make it into the main course." Hajime eventually explained, his eyes constantly drifting back to the letter. "I don't know why they didn't just give it to me at the end of the day though…"

The next man to walk in was their teacher, taking a glance at the grand total of three students in his classroom before moving to the blackboard and preparing to drone on for the next hour. It caused a small pout to appear on Sonia's face; while it was important to experience what the Japanese education system was like, the princess was fairly sure she would have been able to weasel out a little more information from the boy if the teacher hadn't interrupted.

It was only when Hajime tried to hastily shove the letter into his bag when he made a mistake. It wasn't much but Sonia still found herself wondering about the small snippet that was revealed to her, completely out of context unless she wanted to expose herself and try to read more.

"_The test will occur soon. Do not fail; your future is at stake."_

For a letter that was meant to be from some friends, even ignoring the incredibly strange way of having it delivered (unless that was how the Japanese had their letters delivered as well?), it was rather strange that the symbol of Hope's Peak Academy was printed upon the page. Furthermore, there wasn't meant to be any tests for students until the large exam that occurred far later into the year. Was Hajime going through some sort of external examination process?

Yes, it was far more interesting for Sonia to ponder over those questions than try to listen to whatever drivel their teacher was spouting now.

* * *

Hajime opened up the bento in his hands and gave a small sigh as the beautiful scent filled his nostrils, his letter sitting on the bench beside him. Isobe friend chikuwa and beer battered cod sat alongside beautiful fluffy white rice, balsamic kinpira burdock root practically begging to be eaten. Between the rice sat perfect layers of tsukudani and seaweed paste that gave what would've been the most basic part of the dish a wonderful umami flavour that complimented everything to be eaten with it, only made even better with the kuzu sauce that was waiting to be poured over. Completed by a bacon and onion miso soup in the final compartment, it was perfect for the slightly chilly lunch time.

Part of Hajime had wondered whether it would've been better to simply ignore the food he had prepared. Apparently another of their classmates, the Super High School Level Cook Teruteru Hanamura, had situated himself in the cafeteria and his food was near legendary levels; it would've been interesting to see just what wonders such a skilled chef could conjure. It was only the fact that so much time had been spent forming the bento in his hands that prevented the boy from seeing what the fuss was about.

Not that the food in his hands wasn't absolutely amazing in its own right. The umami of the seaweed coated every single grain of rice, imparting an almost addictive savouriness into every single bite. Paired with the tsukudani and kuzu sauce, both taking tuna in surprising directions, it was as if the meal held the beauty of the very ocean within it.

The fried fish and fiskcake only added to that sentiment, with a little help from the flavours of the west. A perfectly crispy batter paired with a fish that still flaked without issue and a fishcake made from a combination of cod and sea bream expertly grilled: western and eastern flavours together that made for a culinary adventure for the tongue.

And the miso soup… one would think that it was foolish to mess with such a staple of Japanese cuisine, yet the addition of the flavours of bacon and onion only helped elevate the soup's overall taste. Enveloping the mouth with a rich warming broth, Hajime sighed as he felt the soup flow through his body, bringing its soothing heat whether it went.

Yep, he did a pretty good job making it.

There was nothing wrong with being proud of your own work, right? It had taken a little bit of research to find the inspiration, but bringing it all together in a way that wasn't jarring and actually worked together was all thanks to Hajime's hands – he wasn't afraid to take credit for that.

After his parents had woefully admitted that his cooking was on another league compared to theirs, there had been plenty of opportunities to practice his cooking. Maybe when they weren't busy, he and Teruteru could potentially have a cook off and see how far he had come along… and get some free gourmet level food on the side. Either way, it would be a win for Hajime.

His food based musings were interrupted by the feeling of a weight against his feet and a small gasp, Hajime rapidly throwing his food to the side so he could reach out to the girl about to fall. Managing to catch her with only the smallest amount of space between the floor and the girl's face, Hajime straightened her up, only to find her more focused on ensuring nothing was wrong with the game console in her hand than her saviour.

Short, pale mauve hair framed pale pink eyes, the hair slightly curled outwards with short straight bangs and a cute white clip in the shape of a retro spaceship. It was a face that Hajime was fairly certain he had seen before, but he just couldn't remember where… wait…

"Ah, you're… Chiaki Nanami, right?" the boy questioned, pulling out his phone and flicking through the profiles, coming across the girl with relative ease.

The Super High School Level Gamer, master of almost every genre that could be found and crowned champion of several high-end gaming tournaments. According to her profile, Chiaki had been individually responsible for some of the biggest names in the gaming industry literally _altering _their games in order to provide a bigger challenge after the gamer girl managed to reach their highest scores almost as soon as they were released.

Well, it explained why she was more focused on preserving her games than herself.

"Hmm?" Chiaki murmured as she looked up from her console, finally meeting Hajime's eyes. From the sounds of it, she barely even recognised the fact that she had fallen over his feet, let alone that Hajime had helped her out. "Ah, were you talking to me? Sorry, thanks."

"…No worries." Hajime said, blinking.

Chiaki had barely an inch of emotion on her face as she immediately returned to her game, not a single moment wasted before she was halfway through smashing yet another high score. What a strange girl. But then again, she was a Super High School level Student just like any of the others; without dedication to her art, she would never have been able to reach the level she was at now. He could forgive her for being just a little bit strange.

"…Hey, what game are you playing?" Hajime asked, peering at the screen almost glued to Chiaki's face. They were classmates, so might as well try and be friendly with one another, right?

Chiaki paused in place, slowly turning around without even looking up. Hajime couldn't help but feel a bead of sweat roll down his face as the pink haired girl completely froze until a victory sound byte rang out, only then deciding to look up and face Hajime.

"Gala Omega. Have you not heard of it?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion. Unknown to the boy, there had been very few who had ever expressed such interest in her games, especially the older ones that she enjoyed. Most of the time, people either found it weird or were trying to beat her in tournaments.

Hajime did have to admit, it was rather cute to watch. The question however caused Hajime to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment, diverting his eyes.

"I…I haven't played many games. I haven't played _any_ videogames." Hajime admitted.

There was silence for the moment, not even the sound effects of Chiaki's game piping up as the pink haired girl stared deeply at Hajime. Then suddenly, as if like a bullet, the Super High School Level Gamer was in his face _far_ too close, practically kissing if she wasn't so short compared to the brunette.

"You haven't played a videogame? Not even one!?" Chiaki asked, a fire in her voice that hadn't been there before.

Hajime simply looked away, fully aware of how close a rather cute girl was to him. It wasn't as if he could flee with how close Chiaki was; the only way he could was backwards, if he wanted to trip over the bench and land in the fountain.

"I never got the chance to. I was pushed kind of hard when I was younger, so I never had the time. Always was interested though." Hajime explained. Well, there was that and the fact that his parents refused to buy him any videogames, too scared they would distract him from his studies.

Chiaki wasn't sure how to react, simply stumbling back as if she had just been shot. For a girl like Chiaki, Hajime assumed, it was impossible to imagine a life without videogames. A life without all of the amazing immersive worlds and stories that one could only experience in videogames, a life where one could be anything you wished to be so long as you put in the time and the effort; Hajime had never experienced that, yet it was what made Chiaki incredible amounts of money and fame in her community.

"Here!" Hajime fell back onto the bench when the gamer girl pushed her console towards him, yet it didn't deter Chiaki. "It's an old game, but it's a classic! Everyone should play it at least once in their life!"

"O-okay, okay!" Hajime nervously chuckled, taking the console as if it were a sacred artefact. With how she was acting so careful around it before, he'd hate to see just how angry Chiaki would become if any sort of damage came to it by his hands. "B-but, I don't even know what the controls are."

"That's fine! The controls are easy. Here…" Chiaki replied, Hajime finding his slight nerves claiming down at the sheer enthusiasm that the gamer was showing.

All too soon, Hajime was blasting his way through the levels under the tutelage of Chiaki, the girl watching in amazement as Hajime went from completely unaware of how the Game-Girl even functioned to a near perfect run. Sloppy movements straightened themselves out in no time at all, shots far off target started to blast through multiple people at once and all of it was occurring as gradually increasing speeds until Hajime was reaching the point where even Chiaki was beginning to find a challenge.

By the time that they reached the end of the ladder of levels, Chiaki could barely believe her eyes; the highest possible score flashed before her eyes, the tenth 'first place' score on the leader board beneath the numerous scores with her own name beside them. helping Hajime write his name, Chiaki couldn't help the look of surprised awe that appeared on her face.

"I…I've never met someone who could get the high score. Not when they haven't played games before." Chiaki remarked, her eyes narrowing as she poked Hajime in the side. "You lied to me didn't you?"

"Hey, stop that! I really haven't played any videogames before." Hajime quickly replied, throwing his hands up as he tried to hold back his laughter under the Super High School Level Gamer's assault. It was only once her displeasure was quelled when she finally realised just what she was doing, rapidly backing away from Hajime, "Hah, finally tired?"

"…Sorry. I can get a little strange when it comes to games." Chiaki said, her face falling. Her enthusiasm was what had turned so many people off, made so many consider her a freak too obsessed with videogames, a weirdo. No doubt she could add another to that list.

"Nah, it's fine. Reminds of… a girl I knew." Hajime answered, his face falling for only a brief moment. "She was like a little sister to me, loved playing and once she was interested in someone, she became friendly fast."

There was something off about the way Hajime said that, something that made Chiaki's happiness at finding someone else who was so skilled at videogames and embarrassment at the way she acted fade away into melancholy.

Before she could question it however, Chiaki caught a glimpse of her watch, a look of surprise immediately plastering itself on her face.

"What's up Chiaki?"

"There's going to be a game competition at the game centre, I don't want to be late." Chiaki said, her tone a strange mixture of excitement and the gentle sleepiness that never left her voice. Eagerly taking back the games console from Hajime, a tentative look appearing on her face. "…Do you want to come? If you could learn how to play that fast, you might be able to join."

A pensive expression took over Hajime's face, the boy turning to the letter that was sitting by his side. Taking it into his hands and peering at the contents within for a second, the boy's decision was quickly made.

"Sure. I can probably just catch up on everything in class." Hajime declared, a small smile appearing on Chiaki's face as she began walking away, before Hajime could even follow. "Hey, wait for me Chiaki!"

Though a matching smile appeared on Hajime whenever Chiaki looked back, the thought of the letter in his bag quickly killed it.

* * *

**And that's a nice place to end, don't you think? As always, please tell me what you thought of the chapter. Hopefully, the interaction that occurs in the coming chapters will start moving along my plans nicely. Look forward to those when they come!**

_Super hero time! See you next time!_


	3. Please Insert Coin

**Hello there everybody! Not much to say for this, apart from the fact that though names used are based off real people, the fictional characters bear no resemblance to their real life counterparts. Any similarities are pure coincidence. Anyway, let's go!**

_Super hero time!_

_Hajime: ..._

_Harry: Shall we make something special? Some snacks for while you're playing._

_Hajime: Even if we're friends, she deserves my all. That's what a challenge is, right?_

_Harry: Okay, serious time I see. Perhaps another time._

_H + H: Never lose hope! With a magic touch!_

* * *

"So, did you send the letter?" the man remarked as he sat down, the last to arrive at the meeting.

Taking his rightful position at the head of the table, he looked around the gathered men and women. The individuals who had given birth to something incredible, or at least, something that _would_ become incredible if given the right… motivation. Fortunately for them, the subject was all too willing to participate in the project to say no. it wasn't as if they could take anything back at this point anyway.

"Yes, the subject has received the letter and is preparing for the first testing phase. Currently, he has been found on the company of the Super High School Level Gamer." One of the figures to his right declared, the man giving a slow shake of his head. "I assume there will be no issues with non-attendance?"

"Has there ever been an issue?" the man scoffed in return. It wasn't as if it was anything new with Hope's Peak and with all that was planned for the subject, the poor education that was being provided by the staff wasn't going to change a thing. "No. So long as the subject continues his interactions with the various talents of Hope's Peak, we are operating at a reasonable pace."

Additionally, it was the perfect way to test the subject's ability to comprehend and adapt; while there had been much that they were able to integrate into the subject's mind, the human brain could only hold so much information in such an unnatural manner. Should the subject demonstrate the ability to properly attain new talents by themselves, there would be less pressure on advancing their medical techniques.

"Are there any major issues with the subjects that need to be brought up?"

"We have three who are currently being prepared for disposal. While they are theoretically capable of fulfilling their purposes, the deformities they have developed are too significant to be considered successful." The single woman who chose not to sit at the table said, barely even looking to her superior as she gazed out through the window. "Otherwise, they are either not through the transition process far enough to make comment on or are relatively functional, as expected."

"I suppose we have Doctor Cottam to thank for that." another member remarked, the head rolling his eyes as he looked to his watch.

With almost perfect timing, a pencil flew through the air and slammed into the member's forehead, a low groan escaping their mouth as they slumped down in their seat. How the woman managed to perfectly throw her little tantrum exactly one second after a comment was made each time was something the head would forever question.

"I was almost there! It would've been me who made the breakthrough if that idiot hadn't interfered!" the woman growled out, only a cough from her superior temporarily quelling her anger. No doubt she would be fuming for the rest of the day and they would have to suffer her poor temper. "But yes, Doctor Cottam's subjects have been showing _minor_ advancements in comparison to the other subjects."

The head let a moment of silence pass over the room as he pondered the _very_ strange bald man who acted as one of their 'carers'.

The scientist was a wildcard by any definition, completely unrepentant as he advanced and destroyed several different experiments with his tinkering. Though his co-workers may not have been willing to admit it, they had truly been stuck during their portion of the experiment and it was only thanks to the eccentric doctor that they managed to produce half as many successful subjects as they did. It was just as shame that they had to dispose of several completely broken subjects as well.

It wasn't as if they couldn't afford the losses though, not at the speed they were moving. He had to give their suppliers a pay rise or something soon; they had been able to acquire numerous fresh specimens and there hadn't even been a hint in the news about any disappearances. They never would've survived Doctor Cottam's interference without them.

"That's fortunate then. Considering our recent obstacles, we should be able to reach our projected schedule." The head said, rubbing his chin with his hand. "Does anyone else have any comments about their divisions? No? Then I see no reason to draw out this meeting. Let us return to what we were doing before and for goodness sake, tell that man not to anger her again!"

The head let out a weary sigh as people began to filter out, the quiet sound of whispered complaints filling his ears. That was the issue with having such diverse business ventures happening under a single banner; for the more mundane side of business, there was very little to comment on and they were forced to listen to stuff they might not entirely… agree with. Fortunately, they were being paid too much to care about blabbing.

Everything was going right up until this point, so all they could do was place faith in the main subject and hope that their predictions would come to fruition. So long as he kept getting good reports, maybe he could stay away from the drinks cabinet this time. Then, when the time was right…

"Excuse me sir? You've been requested by some guests." A voice spoke up from the doorway, jolting the head out of his musings.

"Are you sure? I shouldn't have any personal guests for the rest of the day?" he asked in return, his secretary awkwardly shuffling in place as she spoke.

"Well, they said that you would give them priority so long as I told you… 'We want something at least broadly like harmony.'"

The head froze; those were the words he hadn't been expecting to hear for a long time, maybe ever. Feeling a cold rush down his spine, his fist tightening against his side, there was only one thing he could do lest he wished to lose all that he had.

"Fine. I shall see to them in my office."

* * *

As the sound of a hundred rhythm games, violent shooters, racers and far more combined in his ears, Hajime couldn't help but look around the game centre with a small feeling of awe. It wasn't as if he didn't know what one was, he hadn't been that isolated as a child, but it was a different thing entirely to actually enter one. The sheer noise was enough to make him stumble slightly, shaking his head with a silent groan.

"Over here Hajime." Chiaki called, the brunette looking to his side to see the pink hared gamer stepping into the game centre, a smile blossoming upon her face. "I heard the tournament is being held on the third floor. We should move now and make sure we're signed in early."

"Right, following." Hajime answered, watching with a smirk as the girl found a new energy the moment she passed through the door, eagerly passing her eyes over the various machines set up and blaring their music.

Compared to the somewhat empathetic girl who had accidentally tripped over his feet, Chiaki had almost become a completely different persona. The way that she gazed upon the arcade machines with a fond sense of familiarity, the way that she led Hajime through the various pathways as if she knew them off by heart, it was clear that she was in her element. For the Super High School Level Gamer, the game centre might as well be the same as a church.

Despite Chiaki's gentle enthusiasm however, Hajime couldn't help the small amount of trepidation that welled in his core as he looked to the various screens and controllers around him. The whole environment was something completely foreign to the boy, nothing like the oppressive silence he had gotten used to working with at home or during his sessions. Even if the faces around him were smiling as they played, he simply couldn't muster up the same amount of enthusiasm.

"Hajime, over here!" Chiaki's yell had Hajime startle slightly, looking around as discretely as possible. In his thoughts, he hadn't realised that they had already managed to reach the third floor and the pink haired girl was waiting alongside one of the workers for him to sign up. "Are you okay? You kind of blanked out for a moment."

"…Don't worry about me. I'm just not used to this kind of thing." Hajime answered, absently signing the given piece of paper and filling in the necessary details, returning the bow of the worker as he sat down next to Chiaki. "You never did tell me what we're actually playing. Is it going to be easy for someone new like me?"

"Did you say you don't know what you're playing? Wait, did you say you're new? As in new to games?" the worker suddenly piped up, Hajime cautiously nodding his head to the shock of the man. "Are you kidding me? You just signed up to a Wonder Vs Hatcom 3 tournament as a newb?"

"…Wonder Vs Hatcom?" was the only answer Hajime could give, a scoff coming from the worker as he plucked Hajime's entry form out of the pile.

"Right. I'll just get rid of this for you." The worker dismissed, ready to throw the paper in the nearby bin. "You're way out of your league kid. We've got some of the best here, there's money on the line. A newb like you might as well just quit while you still have your pride."

Before the arm could move any further however, an iron grip held the worker in place, the man letting out a small whimper. Hajime's hold was surprisingly strong, almost as if the brunette was trying to break the worker's arm.

The grasp did its job however, making the worker drop the paper, conveniently allowing it to drop down onto the pile once more as the worker met Hajime's eyes. Hajime would never realise it, but the worker was one step away from relieving himself as he saw those brown orbs turn crimson for a microsecond.

"I may be new to games… but I don't think you should underestimate me like that." Hajime warned, his voice jovial, yet still cutting deep into the soul of the worker. "Besides, you know who this girl is right? Do you really think someone like the Super High School Level Gamer would allow someone to enter a tournament without having some faith in their abilities? After all, she was one kind enough to pay both of our entry fees."

The man didn't have any response to that as Hajime let go of him, the worker quickly scrambling back with as many feverish bows he could give. With a sigh, Hajime turned to Chiaki, giving the girl a bow of his own.

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean to make a scene, but I can't help myself sometimes." Hajime sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And thanks again for paying. It's not as if I don't have any money."

"I make a lot from competitions like this. I can afford it." Chiaki dismissed with a shake of her head.

She had seen far worse reactions from people who didn't show as much gaming potential as Hajime. If he hadn't have stepped up for himself, Chiaki would've done it for him. Besides, she couldn't say she hadn't reacted badly when people underestimated her before she started getting known…

"I have faith in you. After all, you're my gaming disciple!"

"When did I become your disciple?"

"That doesn't matter. Let's get ready! You can learn the controls before it starts." at Chiaki's answer, Hajime let out a small amount of laughter. Yep, he really did have some _very_ interesting classmates.

Rolling his neck and looking to the small stage where the set up was being constructed, Hajime gave a hum. This was the first time outside of his training where he was actually going to be using his skills in a competitive format. Considering that he had only played Gala Omega barely an hour ago and hadn't even touched the game they were going to play against trained veterans of the gaming world, it was certainly going to be an interesting experience.

Now if only the commentators had decided to keep that little fact a secret. Instead, they decided that it was the perfect way to introduce Hajime the moment that it was his turn to take to the stage, his competitors barely able to believe their words until the brunette confirmed it himself. As soon as he did, they simply broke down into laughter and prepared to kick Hajime out as soon as possible so they could focus on his friend.

What a basic mistake to make.

Never mind having been under the tutelage of the greatest gamer of their generation, Hajime took to the fighting game like a fish to water. It was like a monster on the battlefield. The moment that the controller entered his hands, it was as if the jovial boy that looked as if he had wandered into the wrong area disappeared and was replaced by an experienced master gamer.

The characters that Hajime was controlling flowed from attack to attack without any issue, barely any opportunity to block or counter unless they wanted to sacrifice precious meter that could be used for other purposes. The combo counter was beginning to reach crazy levels and before anything more than a single complaint from his opponent could be heard, Hajime had already eliminated one out of three in their team.

It wasn't even as if Hajime had chosen the characters for being particularly good either. Chiaki had spent a good chunk of time explaining the various pros and cons of the different characters, culminating in several different choices that would maximise the potential of a team Hajime could pick. While that was perfectly fine, the brunette had simply chosen the characters that looked coolest to him, some of which Chiaki had actively advised against.

Not that it mattered though, for even with the rather awkward damage values, strange attacks and lack of synergy with any of the other characters Hajime chosen, the way that he used them was moving towards a landslide victory for Hajime.

His opponent couldn't understand it. The moment that she knew the Super High School Level Gamer would be joining in, it was clear that she wouldn't be taking home the crown, but she at least expected to reach second place from the way that the competitors were arranged. Now that dream was draining away almost as fast as her health bars were.

With her second character down for the count, there was practically no way she could ever hope to win against a full trio being used so skilfully. One glance to the health bars showed that all she had manage to do was chip a trivial amount of health from a single character, and that was only when she was able to force her way out of Hajime's seemingly endless combo with a combo breaker. It meant that when she tried to push the advantage, she never had any meter to do anything crazy, eventually finding herself locked against a wall once again.

_**KO!**_

_**PLAYER 1 WINS!**_

Nobody expected it from the stunned silence that quickly devolved into incredibly loud applause from those listening. The moment that Hajime heard the announcement, a startled look came over his face before he tried to reach round and shake his opponent's hand. Perhaps it was just him, but the shake he received was rather bitter.

The path of destruction did not stop there; any opponent that Hajime met was faced with an insurmountable wall, easily crushed beneath the weight of Hajime's prowess born from only perhaps twenty minutes with the game. The same occurred with Chiaki, except nobody had ever expected anything different from her; the Super High School Level Gamer completely demolished her foes with a small frown and a surprisingly effect combination of the game's cutest characters.

In seemingly no time at all, player after player had been eliminated with unrivalled speed until only two remained, Chiaki giving Hajime and competitive smile as they sat down. It was a match up nobody could've expected at the start of the competition; to have a completely unknown name fighting against the greatest player was something unheard of, something that people were just as eager to see as they were disgruntled by it.

"This has been fun. More fun than usual." Chiaki commented, half to herself, a little smile appearing on her face as the match was set up before them. "I don't usually have someone I know playing with me and watching."

"It's been interesting, once you get past the glares." Hajime commented, looking over his shoulder. Yep, the other players were still there, reputations in tatters as they watched someone sitting where they should've been. It wasn't something unexpected, you got those kinds of people at any competition, but the sheer number were somewhat concerning. "I wouldn't be against doing this again sometime."

"Yes!" Chiaki emphatically replied before a pout took its place on her face. "But don't think I'm going to go easy on you because you're my gaming disciple. I've spent ages learning everything about Wonder vs Hatcom 3. You're a hundred years too early to defeat me!"

"Still don't know when I became your disciple… I'm not going to back down from a challenge though."

* * *

"Test? I don't remember there being anything about a test going on soon." Mahiru said as she placed her hands upon her hips, Sonia giving a small hum of disappointment. "I'm fairly certain you can find a schedule somewhere if you asked Sonia, but we've essentially only started. What's got you worried about tests?"

"Ah, my apologies. I simply… let myself get alarmed for no reason." The blonde princess answered, shaking her head before her disappointment was replaced by her usual royal serenity. "As I am obviously unfamiliar with the practices of Japanese education, I had been led to believe that there were more testing periods than there truly are. Forgive me for my ignorance."

"Well, I guess you could say that Hope's Peak Academy is a special situation…" Mahiru answered, giving an awkward chuckle.

Weird as it was considering the academy was trying to find the best of the best, Mahiru couldn't help but feel pretty happy with the test situation. After all, while she wasn't exactly the worst of students, learning that there far less tests to study for was always going to be welcome news.

But that wasn't what the Super High School Level photographer was focusing on at the moment. Instead, Mahiru was trying to make sure her suspicion didn't show on her face as she observed Sonia and the slight discomfort the princess was displaying.

While her excuse was acceptable considering how little she knew about Japan or really much of the world other than her homeland, Sonia had clearly been trying to come up with a reasonable explanation when she paused. Something about that didn't seem to sit right with Mahiru.

"Is there something else? You seem a little uncomfortable." The redhead questioned, watching with a bead of sweat rolling down her face as Sonia seemed to jump in place before her figure grew just a tiny bit more nervous.

"Oh, not at all! I'm simply wondering what our fellow classmates could be like." The blonde was quick to answer, pointedly staring out of the window rather than Mahiru. "Though attendance is not necessary I do believe it a true shame they chose not to interact with us. All we have are a few words to know them by."

Mahiru's eyes narrowed almost instantly, an act that only made Sonia even more uncomfortable. Let it be known, though the Super High School Level Princess was incredibly skilled at reading obscured emotions and hidden thoughts, she wasn't actually any good at hiding her own emotions.

"Come on, let it out. We're classmates, right? We have to support each other." Mahiru sighed. "After dealing with Hiyoko, it seems like this is going to be a common thing anyway…"

"Ah, I wouldn't wish to burden you with such a simplistic matter." Sonia began, hesitating slightly. "But then again, I suppose that it isn't so bad a situation as to be sensitive. Very well, allow me to explain…"

And so she did. The small snippet of the letter she was able to read, how Hajime reacted to the words he read, the strange manner in which he tried to keep it secret; everything that she could possibly think of, Sonia told Mahiru, the redhead's expression unsure as the tale continued.

"I did not mean to pry into personal business, but the face that Hajime pulled and tried so hard to hide… I could not help but feel concerned for what this test could potentially entail." Sonia said, her face falling. "In the years where I was allowed to sit in on certain meetings and conversations, I've seen men pull a similar expression and it never ended well. Am I so wrong to be worried for him?"

"No, I guess it's fair enough. I really don't think we should just be sneaking about trying to learn more though when he obviously wants to keep it a secret." Mahiru reasoned before a smirk appeared on her face. "Unless you have a plan to ask him and get him to _not_ be defensive about it, I don't see what we could do. I don't even know where he is right now."

"You talking about Hajime?" a growl came from the side, Mahiru and Sonia surprised to see Fuyuhiko leaning against the doorframe with his jacket in hand. "Saw the guy headin' off down the arcade with some chick. What you care about that for?"

"Nothing important. Just wondering." Mahiru answered, only to find Fuyuhiko far too close for the photographer's comfort. "H-hey, back off! I'm telling the truth!"

"You think my title's just a cute nickname or something? Stop tryin' to shit me." The boy brutally retorted, swinging his jacket over his shoulders. "I don't care what the hell you guys are doing with the guy, I just want to know what has you so interested in him. He's skippin' class to hang out with girls, so what?"

"I simply had a few concerns about Hajime I'd like to have answered. That's really all." Sonia quickly interrupted, a resolute expression appearing on the princess' face. "You are the heir of the famous Kuzuryu Yakuza clan, correct? If I were to ask, would you be able to find information upon Hajime's history and current circumstances? I would rather not immediately, but I will not dismiss such an option."

"Wh-what!? Sonia, are you asking the _Yakuza_ to investigate one of our classmates!?" Mahiru yelled, barely keeping herself from shaking the idiocy out of Sonia. Sure, the Super High School Level Princess wasn't exactly the most socially adept people, but surely even she would know how stupid that idea sounded?

"I am simply utilising the resources at my disposal Mahiru. Though I would appreciate it if you didn't allow such information to spread, I shall let you in on a certain secret." Sonia explained, her voice suddenly growing deathly low as an unreadable light entered the blonde's eyes. "The royals of Novoselic have a strong relationship with what I suppose you could consider the Yakuza equivalent. I would be a fool not to establish a similar connection here in Japan."

"…You're kiddin' me right? You really think I'm gonna waste family resources just cause you asked me? For a guy I don't give a shit about?" Fuyuhiko scoffed, at least until he saw Sonia lightly tapping the top of a card with her fingertip. "…Tch, I think I'm starting to like you. You're either a complete idiot or you've got way more guts than I expected."

"As I said, we had a strong relationship with our equivalent. It's only natural that I learn how such negotiations are made."

"Um, guys…? Can we not try to use dangerous underground clans to try and coax information on our classmates?" Mahiru weakly asked, rolling her eyes at the expression that Fuyuhiko gave her. "Are you going to try and deny that the Kuzuryu _aren't_ a dangerous underground clan? The only reason people know about you is because your family lets them."

"Of course. As I said before, I would rather not turn to it as the first option. I'm sure if we ask nicely, Hajime will answer our questions!" Sonia replied, pumping her arms as she started to charge forward. "You said he is at the arcade, did you not? We shall go first and then use the Yakuza should he not agree!"

"Can we not!?"

Fuyuhiko let the smirk on his face fade away as he watched the two girls go. It was clear that they weren't telling him the full story, but it wasn't as if he was going to get it out of them without making his life way harder than he would've liked.

Whether it was a story he actually wanted to know was one thing, but Fuyuhiko couldn't deny that he was also intrigued by Hajime Hinata. Who wouldn't be? It was a guy who was boasting about having a whole bunch of talents in a place where the greatest are gathered. Either he was an absolute lunatic or something was going weird with Hope's Peak and from the sounds of things, Hajime wasn't _entirely_ bluffing.

The Yakuza heir wasn't particularly fond about the lack of information about the guy either. Even he had a full profile set out with the others and that was despite the attempts to obfuscate and hide as much as possible. It couldn't have been a coincidence that Hajime just so happened to have most of his details left out.

He wasn't called the Super High School Level Yakuza for nothing however. When he wanted to know something or get something, Fuyuhiko didn't just sit on his ass all day.

Pulling out his phone, Fuyuhiko dialled the first contact in his list, looking to his watch. If she answered like every other time, then it should take…

"Young Master. What do you require of me?"

Huh. Barely even a second. Was it just Fuyuhiko, or was she getting faster?

"Peko. I need you to keep an eye on a couple of our classmates. Redhead and blonde, Mahiru Koizumi and Sonia Nevermind." Fuyuhiko ordered down the phone, slumping in one of the nearby seats.

"The Super High School Level Photographer and Princess, am I correct?" the voice replied, tone unwavering.

No doubt she was already moving to find the desired targets, if she hadn't already found them already. Though she may not have a titled talent for it, Peko could sneak around and find targets with an almost unnatural ability. Then again, with the amount of times she had to do it, there was a fair amount of experience beneath her belt.

"Yep. Stick to the shadows, but keep a track on everything they and Hajime Hinata say. They might spill somethin' interesting and I want to know." Fuyuhiko said.

"Hajime Hinata… I'm afraid I know little about him." Peko replied after a moment's pause. "The profiles have little on him, even in the private documents that I've managed to come across."

"That's exactly the problem. Once school's over, meet me down the alley."

"Understood, Young Master."

Fuyuhiko sighed, rolling his neck. Great, all he had to do now was sit around and wait for the shitshow known as school to end. Skipping one day was acceptable, but his parents would be on his ass if he missed anything more.

* * *

Mahiru tried to hold back her sigh. She really did, but when she was around such an energetic princess, it was kind of hard to keep her exasperation from breaking through.

She shouldn't have expected anything different. This was just what happened when you placed a Japanophile in such a drastically different place; they were bound to get a little overloaded. It did mean their initial aims, an aim that Mahiru mentally noted was _Sonia's _idea, were being forced to the side though.

Then again, a game centre wasn't exactly Mahiru's preferred area. All of the lights messed with her shots after all and she had never taken a real interest in the games.

"Wonder Vs Hatcom Tournament?" Mahiru read aloud, pulling the poster off the wall. Well, if Sonia was too busy gawking at the various games on offer, she would just have to carry on herself. "It's not as if I've seen him anywhere else…a tournament should give some decent photos as well. Sonia, over here! Big audience event, so a fair chance we'll find Hajime there."

"Right!" Sonia called back, rushing over with a positively glowing expression upon her face. "So many titles completely unheard of in my kingdom, and presented in such a radical manner! I could scarcely imagine what an event a tournament would be!"

"You'll see it in a minute, come on. Focus." Mahiru said, walking through a door only to nearly stumble back at the sheer noise she was met with. "Sonia… I think we found Hajime."

The two girls could feel the intensity radiating off both their target and his friend from the moment they stepped through. To the sound of a raucous audience cheering, Hajime and the girl Fuyuhiko had indicated were battling like mad, their controllers practically brutalised as their characters fought like gods.

If it weren't for the smile upon the pink haired girl's face, you would be forgiven for thinking the duelling gamers were mortal enemies. They barely spoke as they battled; there was no room for banter when one wrong move could spell utter defeat. It was an entrancing scene to watch.

Gradually, the noise began to die down, sheer excitement changing for anticipation as the health bars began to shrink further and further, the two fighters almost locked in a dead heat. The smile upon the girl's face morphed into a confused frown, her tongue sticking out as she tried to keep up with her opponent.

Hajime was not to be so easily beaten however, his face stoic as his hands began to somehow miraculously move even faster. Soon, the difference between the two fighters began to grow more and more noticeable, the disbelief in the audience's eyes growing in equal measure.

Seeing as she wouldn't have been able to talk until the end of his match, Mahiru had been searching for the perfect image. As soon as the loud announcement was screamed by the screen, the redhead took the shot.

With the word K.O emblazoned clearly on the screen, Hajime stood proud while Chiaki stared in disbelief, alongside almost the entire audience. Not a single smile in sight. Needless to say, it wasn't even close to one of Mahiru's best.

* * *

Chiaki couldn't believe her eyes. A lifelong streak of perfect wins, a streak that had made the nation recognise her as the greatest gamer in the entirety of Japan, had been broken by someone who barely even knew what a games console was that morning. She had every right to be furious.

And yet, there was an inexplicable feeling within her chest, a burning sensation that didn't actually hurt. When the Super High School Level Gamer looked to the screen declaring her loss and to Hajime, who was now awkwardly being paraded as the winner, she couldn't muster up any outrage.

Losing to someone like Hajime… perhaps that was different from losing to just anyone.

"Hey, Chiaki. Are you okay?" the pink haired girl was jolted out of her musings when the brunette made his enquiry, looking down to her with concern. "Sorry. I guess as the Super High School Gamer, this is really awkward, huh? Damn it, I've done it again…"

"No, it's fine." Chiaki quickly replied, mentally filing his last remark in the back of her mind. That would be something to pursue at a different time, not quite yet. "It's a new experience but… if it's with you, then it's not that bad."

"I'm glad. I didn't expect the disciple to surpass the master so quickly though." Hajime said with a sigh of relief, helping Chiaki out of her seat as they descended from the stage. Now that everything was over, no need to keep standing under the spotlight.

"…You may have beat me once, but I'm still your gaming master." Chiaki quickly retorted with her cheeks poked out, stabbing her finger into Hajime's chest and letting her smile return only when the boy began to dramatically fall to the ground. "There's still so much I have left to show you. Now that there's someone who's as good at games as me, I can show you all of my favourites!"

"Sounds nice, but I kind of also need to attend class as well, it's an agreement with my parents." Hajime muttered. "Not that there's anything wrong with lessons, but it's kind of weird entering a classroom and only seeing five people."

"Really?" Chiaki moaned, folding her arms as she looked to the ground. That would take up most of the day then and even if she had trained herself to survive nights with very little sleep, she doubted that Hajime could achieve the same feat. "Then… Do you have to listen to the lessons?"

"…Um, kind of? Isn't that what lessons are for?" Hajime answered haphazardly, backing away slightly when a mischievous glint entered into Chiaki's eyes as she pushed forward.

"But what about if you were there and just played games with me? Then that would be you attending lessons." Chiaki reasoned. "It's not as if you couldn't listen to them if you wanted to. It's not like they're any good either."

"I guess that makes sense… but you really should come to the lessons for the lessons, you know? It's still good to know this kind of stuff after all." Hajime pointed out with a drop of sweat rolling down his face. From the looks of things though, it didn't seem to get through to the pink haired girl, a strange scheme already flowing through her head. "Well, looks like lessons are going to be more interesting at least."

"Ah, Hajime! There you are!" a familiar royal voice called, Hajime jumping slightly when Mahiru and Sonia approached.

"Sonia? Mahiru? I thought you guys were still at Hope's Peak."

"Well, Sonia wanted to ask you about something, but we couldn't find you anywhere on campus. We were lucky that Fuyuhiko saw where you went." Mahiru explained glancing to the side. "Care to introduce us Hajime?"

"Huh? Oh, this is Chiaki. She's the Super High School Level Gamer, so a member of our class." The brunette said, Chiaki giving a brief nod with little else. "…Okay then, so, what did you guys want to ask me?"

"Ah, about that… We were actually hoping we could do that in a more private area. I fear too many ears would be detrimental." Sonia quickly added. "You wouldn't happen to know if there are any quieter sections? I'm sure you are more familiar with the area than I am."

"…There's a café nearby." Chiaki pointed out, her whispery voice perhaps just a little bit quieter than it had been before. Was it because the girls were there?

"Perfect! Shall we move there to have our discussions then?"

"…Sure. Can't say I can answer everything you want to know, but I can try." Hajime said hesitantly. From the way the princess had phrased things, something told the brunette that there was something strange going on. Still, they were classmates; the least he could do was at least hear them out. "Let's go."

Unbeknownst to them all, a pair of shadows followed quickly after, each perfectly unaware of the other.

* * *

**And that's it for this chapter. Thank you for reading. I'm not too sure when the next chapter will come out, but hopefully it will bring a couple of... fun discussions. What does that mean? Please, look forward to the future to find out!**

_Super hero time! See you next time!_


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